Defying Tom
by Jeffjway
Summary: Oneshot. James Potter, having defied Tom three times, is pleading for Albus in the Headmaster's office to help him out. But is everything as it seems? Is Lily going to be alright? Where's Harry in all this?


James Potter stood in the Headmaster's office, staring out the window at the grounds below, watching the Hogwarts students play Quidditch in the school field.

"I don't get it, Albus." He sighed "Why does he hate us so? Why is he after us?"

"James, James, James. You have to understand that defying him three times in the manner you did won't exactly get you into his good books. Tom isn't one to forgive and forget." Albus walked up to James and put his arm around James' shoulders. "He is one that will hound you till he gets what he wants."

"Can't you do something about him, Albus? I can't live my life running from him, I'm a Gryffindor for crying out loud! Lily's so stressed that I'm afraid she'll break and do something … something reckless." James shrugged off Albus' arm and stormed about the Headmaster's office.

"Reckless, James? That's more like you than her. I don't think she will do anything except bury herself in books to find a solution to the predicament you two are in." Albus replied.

"Damn it, Damn it all to hell. There's has to be something we can do!"

"You could always cast the Fidelius and stay safe like I suggested, James"

"No, that's a last resort! I won't hide and cower like a … a useless good-for-nothing …. Flobberworm!"

"It's for the safety of you and Lily, James. Tom's wrath isn't something to sniff at." Albus just shook his head. James was such a stubborn, egoistical spoilt brat, so unlike his father, and a temper just like his mother.

Now the Elder Potters could have just stepped in and resolved all this, but it just wasn't right to drag the both of them into the mess. James was old enough to handle this by himself.

"James. Look at this calmly and objectively. You defied Tom right in his face not once but three times. There were so many witnesses to your multiple acts of defiance that Tom has to take action or lose face. Either face him man to man or just take shelter under the Fidelius until this blows over." Albus pled.

"No, if he can't find me or Lily, he'll come after you, Albus. I can't make you take him on on my behalf. It's just not right!"

Albus looked at the multiple portraits of the Headmasters of old, especially the few that were barely holding in their laughter at the situation "Sure… laugh. I bet this is so funny to you lot. Especially the two of you that I am named after…"

Just then, the Headmaster stormed back into his office and looked at the two brothers sternly. "James Sirius Potter! Whatever inspired you to stink-bomb the Leaky Cauldron not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES! Not only did you toss that first stink-bomb in front of all the customers, you denied doing it and tossed a second one right in Tom's face when he confronted you. And a third to cover your escape!" Headmaster Neville Longbottom was usually a quiet, mild-mannered person and seldom raised his voice, but when his students openly caused trouble to such a great extent, and to a person he and his wife not only worked with before he became Headmaster, but also looked up to as a father figure, there was no way he would hold back.

"Tom is old, very old. Me and my wife were forced to return the Leaky Cauldron to him due to our posts here in Hogwarts. He can't take your pranks like that, he nearly got a heart attack when you did what you did. And not only that, you somehow convinced your little sister Lily to come up with a way for you to get to Diagon Alley from Hogsmead and even participate in the prank. Have you no shame?!"

"And you, Albus Severus Potter, why did you not stop your brother from his folly? You're a Slytherin! You should know enough ways and means to get your brother to not go ahead with his hair-brained schemes or at the very least not get caught red-handed! It's pretty hard to be subtle when you toss a stinkbomb right into the face of the man you were trying to prank. Or are you going to claim that someone Imperio-ed you to do it?"

Albus and James looked down at their feet, unable to look their Uncle Neville in the eye. They had heard stories from their father about how Uncle Neville was always happy and calm as he fought beside their father. Now, it seemed, they were getting the full experience of the side of the Headmaster that had wielded the Sword of Gryffindor and sliced off Voldermort's familiar's head.

"Lily's ok now." Neville said after taking a few long deep breaths, "Whatever side effects of the spell she used to facilitate your escape from Diagon Alley combined with the stunners Tom fired upon you that hit her has been dealt with. But I'm sure it is nothing compared to what Harry will do to you later."

"Uncle Neville…"

"You called father?"

"But… please don't"

"He'll kill us…"

The boys whined and pled, begged and dropped to their knees in supplication to their Uncle Neville.

"Just be happy your mom is on tour with the Harpies and doesn't know a thing. I would think you would rather him handle your punishment then her."

That shut the brothers up immediately.

"Just go to the Infirmary and sit by your sister's bed. I'll call you lot when your father gets here." Neville waved them out of his office.

As the boys ran out of the office and past the gargoyle, Neville slumped into his chair. Taking over from McGonnagal was so tiring, so stressful. And the Potter kids didn't make it any easier. Harry would be so proud that his daughter actually developed a spell that could circumvent the protections on the Floo systems in Hogsmede, and his son living up to the marauder he was named after. But having poor Albus always dragged along into his siblings' hijinks? Causing Tom to be confined to bedrest from stress and shock? Sigh.

"Ok, Severus, stop laughing your head off…. You're spoiling the image that others have of me when I tell them you were my Boggart…" Neville sniped at the portrait behind him that was uncharacteristically guffawing.


End file.
